Aqua Vitae
by Temari-Desert-Storm
Summary: Terra finds himself battling Heartless, hormones, and his own morals on a mission with Aqua to Destiny Islands. When these get in the way of his mission, he must choose between fighting someone he cares about and protecting someone he loves. PreBBS Part 2
1. Beginnings

**Chapter 1 - Beginnings**

* * *

Destiny Islands, Ten years before _Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep_

* * *

The sunlight stained the coastline orange as afternoon shifted into evening. A light breeze, peppered with the scent of ocean salt, brushed along the edge of the empty beach, bringing with it the heat of a day over water in the middle of summer. Not even a single seagull or crab was present, though, when a dark portal opened in sky ten or so feet above the beach and a figure dropped onto the sand. His armor, colored in vibrant copper and gold, shone in the sun, but he didn't notice. Instead, he growled at the sand under his feet and pulled off his helmet one-handed, his sweaty brown hair plastering itself to his face. In his other hand, he held his Keyblade, a large, normally unwieldy slab of brown metal with a bluish-green hilt-guard, but quickly dismissed it in a flash of bright light.

"I hate the beach," Terra grumbled, putting his helmet back on before he punched his shoulder pad in annoyance, his armor twisting and collapsing back against his arm.

Behind him, Aqua was doing the same, her silver and cobalt armor collapsing away as his did. "You shouldn't be so negative about it," she smiled, her eyes teasing, "I, for one, like it. I feel like I'm a little kid again."

"Good for you. Meanwhile, I'm dying," he grunted, looking down at his clothes. "I never dress for this kind of weather."

He was wearing a dark brown tank top, tight to his muscular skin, but he was also wearing loose beige pants, and his armored boots didn't help. Sweat had absorbed into every inch of his clothes or beaded up on his bare skin, rolling down as it accumulated. Aqua had prepared a little better, wearing loose black shorts and a loose grey tank top, but her armor was attached to a pair of light blue sleeves, detached from the rest of her clothes. Her blue hair was plastered to her face as well, but she wasn't suffering from the heat as he was.

"You dress for combat," she pointed out, "and I dress for comfort. It's a gender thing, so I wouldn't worry much about it."

He rolled his eyes. "That's not what I'm worried about. I'm worrying about why Master Eraqus sent us here."

"There's something here that's drawing in the Heartless, and the world is pretty much defenseless. They haven't produced a Keyblade wielder here for ages, and he left without preparing any defenses for them," Aqua explained, staring out at the ocean with a serious look on her face.

She continued talking, but Terra zoned out and ended up staring at her instead. The two of them had been training under Master Eraqus for around five years, and he found that he had formed a deep bond to her. Five years ago, she could barely lift her Keyblade, let alone use it, but the two of them had been through a couple close situations and now trusted each other completely. It was something that surprised him. He had never thought that he could trust anyone again, but Aqua was a kindred spirit. They could relate to each other, no matter how many things they disagreed on. Lately, though, he had felt things begin to change. He couldn't always speak his mind around her, leaving him speechless in certain situations. It hurt sometimes when she laughed at his mistakes. Most of all, he found himself staring at her, watching the way she held herself, the way she expressed herself with her eyes as she talked. It was little things that he had never noticed about her before that were drawing his attention, like how her lips were forming an angry frown right at that moment…

"Terra, are you listening?" she snapped, "I asked you a question!"

Breaking out of his daze, he scowled and crossed his arms, looking away from her. "I didn't hear you. The waves are getting in the way," he lied, trying to fight against the blood rushing to his face.

Aqua tilted her head in confusion, but she just nodded. "Figures as much. You're not used to the sound of the waves. Come on. We'll find somewhere to talk."

Together they walked away from the beach, passing the line of palm trees that separated it from the town. The town was one in the loosest sense, consisting of a small collection of houses and other assorted buildings spread up a gently sloping hill. Each building had a large lot of land around it in an attempt to make the town look bigger, but it didn't seem to help. It looked like a ghost town, and Terra shivered. 'It looks like my home town. Deserted, depressing… but it doesn't feel dead. There are people here.' Behind them, an island blocked off the horizon, trees of all sorts littered along the edges of a steep mountain.

"As I was saying before," Aqua started up again, walking up the road beside him, looking hastily around at the houses, "We should really find somewhere to rest. If we're going to be fighting a lot of Heartless, we're going to get worn out easily, especially you," she pointed out, poking him, "so we should probably start looking around."

From somewhere behind a building, a scream echoed out, and both of them immediately snapped into action. They darted in the direction of the scream, weaving around buildings until they reached the source, Keyblades at the ready. Three Neoshadows, inky black creatures with twitching limbs, had pressed a girl up against the wall of a house, but they all turned their attention to the Keyblade wielders as they rounded the corner. One lunged forward, but Terra struck down, splattering it under the weight of his Keyblade. Aqua back flipped over him, pushing lightly off his back as she let loose a powerful blast of blizzard magic. A second Neoshadow froze into a block of ice, and Terra smashed through it easily, putting him between the girl and the last Heartless. Aqua landed on its other side.

Surrounded, the Neoshadow twitched and squirmed in place, judging its situation. Aqua shifted on her feet, trying to draw it in, but it didn't budge. Instead, it lunged for the girl, moving in a straight path, and was met by Terra, who roundhouse kicked it backwards. It stumbled back into the path of Aqua's Keyblade and ceased to exist.

"Any more?" she asked, still on her guard.

Terra reached into his inner calm and relaxed, testing his senses for another Heartless. It was a skill he had acquired over the years: a keen sense of prediction about the movement of Heartless. Aqua had acquired something similar, but it extended only to strong magical powers, and only those that had been awakened. "Nothing," he replied after a few moments of searching. "We're clear."

"Wh-what was that?" a smooth, gentle voice asked, and he sensed movement behind him. "What were those things? And who are you?"

Turning around, Terra's mind went blank. Standing before him was the girl they had rescued, but he had been too preoccupied to notice much about her. She was their age, slim, dainty looking, with beautiful auburn hair down to her waist, and brilliant aqua colored eyes. She didn't look scared, only a little shaken up, but she used the wall for support. Feeling the blood rushing to his face again, he turned away as Aqua approached, his back to both of them. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Aqua looking at him with raised eyebrows, but her expression said that she'd ask about it later.

"Sorry if we startled you," she explained, using her polite voice, which she used whenever she wanted to convince someone of something without question, "Those were Heartless, creatures of darkness. We're here to get rid of them. My name is Aqua, and this is Terra."

Having composed himself, he turned back to them and nodded politely at the girl. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," the girl replied, sounding a little more relaxed. "I'm Demetra. Beating up those Heartless things… that was pretty amazing. You're not from around here, are you? No one here can do things like that."

Aqua nodded. "We've been through a lot of training to be able to do that. And you're right. We're not from around here. In fact, we came here from very far away."

Demetra's eyebrows rose. "It's a big problem, huh? …Well, you two can stay at my place, unless you already have somewhere else in mind…"

Terra looked over at Aqua and raised his eyebrows. It was their common body language for a question. Aqua looked back at him and blinked once, smiling: a yes. "That's very kind of you," he nodded, "And we'd be happy to accept your offer."

"Good! I can properly thank you for saving me. Come with me," she said, and lead them off.

"What do you think?" Aqua asked as they walked, the two of them hanging back slightly.

Terra blinked a few times, clearing his thoughts. "Something about this situation just stinks. I don't know what we're dealing with here, but the Heartless are up to something."

"You mean they have a plan?"

"It doesn't seem like a plan. More of… a goal. They're after something."

Aqua's eyes flashed to Demetra's back, posing a silent question.

He shrugged slightly. "Not sure. We'll have to keep our eyes open. Until then, there's not much else we can do."

Demetra's parents were happy to accommodate them when she explained to them what had happened. They were given a spare room on the second floor, but unfortunately, they had to share it. There was only one bed in the room, and Terra had insisted that Aqua take it. He took a spare pillow and declared that he would sleep on the floor, much to her chagrin.

"Stubborn jerk," she muttered, when they had finished discussing their arrangements, "You always have to pick the hard way. What if I wanted to sleep on the floor?"

He smirked. "I wouldn't let you. It goes against my morals."

"I didn't realize you had morals," she joked, and he glared at her.

Demetra laughed. "Are you two always like this?"

"Yes," they replied simultaneously, and after a quick glare, indignantly refused to talk to each other for an hour.

Terra was the first to head up to their room, but he had only started undoing the straps on his armor when Aqua entered, flopped down on the bed, pulled her sleeves and laid down, her back to him. He stared at her for a moment before he finished and lay down as well. They were silent for a long time, and he was on the verge of sleep when she spoke.

"Do you think… there will ever be a time when the world is at peace? When we don't have to travel to other worlds, train, or fight Heartless?"

He turned his head to look at her, and she was staring back, her eyes shining with moonlight from the window. "I'm… not sure. Maybe someday, I guess."

"What are you going to do then?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if you don't need to wield the Keyblade anymore, if you don't need to fight," she whispered, "what would you do with your life?"

He thought for a moment before turning to lie on his back. "I won't do anything. I don't think I'll be around when that happens."

"But what if you were? What would you do? Like… if the fighting ended tomorrow, where would you go from there?"

"I… don't know. I wouldn't have anything to live for if it did."

"Do you really think that?" she asked finally, sounding a bit sad. "That's… really sad."

"I've got nothing else left, Aqua. Just this."

She rolled back over, hugging her arms. Terra barely heard her mutter, "I'd help you find something," before her breathing evened out and she was fast asleep.


	2. Relationships

**Chapter 2 - Relationships**

* * *

Destiny Islands, Ten years before _Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep_

* * *

The next morning, Terra woke up at his usual time and began strapping on his armor. The sun was hours from rising as he stepped outside. The smell of salt clung to the air, even that far away from the beach, making his nose tingle. 'If I could rid myself of salt water for eternity, I would.' The proximity to the water also made the air colder, sending shivers down his spine. His feet tingled in his armored boots and he rubbed his arms to try to warm them up.

"Bodies of water, especially large ones, do that to the surrounding area," Aqua explained as she joined him, still adjusting her sleeves. "They trap heat during the day to produce a cooling affect."

Terra rolled his eyes. "Not another science lesson," he groaned, "You know that kind of stuff doesn't matter to me."

"Of course," she laughed dryly, summoning her Keyblade, _Rain Fall_, in her outstretched arm, the end appearing half an inch from the tip of his nose, "You never were smart enough to understand the simple mechanics behind it."

"We'll see about that," he grunted, summoning his own Keyblade. _Earth Shaker_ appeared in his hand and he swung it up, resting it on his shoulder. Despite having grown in the last few years, as well as having added a great deal of muscle, the giant Keyblade was still far too large and heavy from him to hold in one hand for long periods of time.

Exchanging confident glances, Aqua struck first, Terra bringing his Keyblade to meet it in an overhand block. From there, he shifted it into an attack, pushing her Keyblade down and out with his own, stepping into her reach before elbowing her back. Aqua retaliated, using the momentum to fall into a back flip, narrowly avoiding clipping Terra's face with her boots. They gave themselves some space and charged. Terra's assault was pure strength, bearing down on Aqua's defences with unrelenting force. She held her ground, though, balancing his strength with magical defences. Finding an opening, she dodged and countered, switching roles with him. Her attacks were infused with magic, each strike sending different sensations through his arms: burning, numbness, tingling; each one leeching more and more strength from him. In response, he shifted his defenses, each of her hits connecting at a different angle, meaning that she had to readjust her aim with each strike.

When he found his opening, he ducked under her strike, turning on his heels to bring his Keyblade into an upward arch. Aqua jumped easily out of the way, her flexibility taking her back ten feet in only two bounds. From there, her next bound was another back flip, one arm supporting her as she fired a magic fireball for her Keyblade with the other. Terra batted it away easily with his Keyblade, but when he realized what was she was trying for it was too late. She swung her Keyblade up through his open defenses, and he did the only thing he could: he leaned back, using his Keyblade as support, and kicked her in the stomach, pushing her back. Aqua skidded back a few feet before she lost her balance and fell flat on her back.

She glared up at him. "That wasn't fair! You fight dirty."

"All's fair when it comes to fighting," he reminded her, holding out his hand to help her up, "I didn't hit you that hard. An enemy wouldn't be that thoughtful."

"Still," she pouted, dusting herself off, "if I told Master Eraqus you tried that…"

He cringed. "Fine, fine. At least I didn't hit you with my Keyblade…"

"That wasn't my fault! Master Eraqus distracted me!" she growled. "And I didn't hurt you that much…"

"You gave me a concussion," he deadpanned.

She sighed, exasperated. "And I said I was sorry!"

Laughing from the house brought them out of their argument and they both turned to the source. Demetra was standing at the door in a creased pair of track pants and a pale orange wool sweater, leaning up against the frame. Beside her was a younger boy with scruffy straight red hair and aqua eyes, his face littered with freckles. He was staring at the two of them in awe.

"Are you two always this energetic so early in the morning?" Demetra asked, stifling a yawn when her laughing had stopped. "You'll end up waking the whole island."

Aqua chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry. Did our practice wake you?"

"Yes and no. My alarm is set early, but your practice helped me wake up faster. Your argument was louder. I'm surprised you didn't wake up my parents."

"We'll try to keep it down from now on. This is something we do to make sure we're ready," Terra explained, and then pointed to the boy, "Who's he?"

The boy hadn't budged an inch since Terra had noticed him, but when he noticed he was being addressed, he stepped forward and gave the two Keyblade wielders a thorough examination, eyes wide.

"That's my brother Lericc," she chuckled, "Don't mind him. He's eight, and very curious."

Lericc suddenly rounded on them, eyes bright. "That was amazing! The way the two of you were practicing was so cool! It was back and forth and all over the place, but it was all there and it was awesome!" His eyes darted to Terra's Keyblade. "Can I hold it? Please!"

Terra was too startled by his exuberance to reply, but Demetra snapped her fingers, calling her brother's attention to her. "Lericc, stop pestering them. Mom and Dad told you about this." She rolled her eyes and smiled at them. "I swear, I think he has ADHD. It's the only explanation for his behavior."

"But I just wanted to hold it, Demi…" Lericc complained, giving her a deject look.

"Sorry Lericc, but that's not something you can do," Aqua explained in her polite voice, "Keyblades are very particular about who they let hold them. You have to be chosen to hold one, and not just anyone can choose. Besides, Terra's Keyblade is heavy. It would end up squashing you."

"No one asked you," Terra grumbled, resting his Keyblade on his shoulder.

Demetra giggled. "Well, you two are probably hungry. I'll go make us all something to eat before my parents get up."

"I'll come with you," Aqua agreed, dismissing her Keyblade, and the two of them went inside.

Terra stared after them for a while, daydreaming, his Keyblade digging into his shoulder. When he broke out of his stupor, he noticed that Lericc was standing beside him, smiling at him expectantly. They stared at each other until Terra dismissed his Keyblade and headed inside, Lericc close on his heels.

* * *

For the next couple of days, Lericc followed him around, asking him questions. Terra answered some of the more general questions, but each time a question got too personal, his lips locked and Lericc started a new line of questioning. The constant company was a bit irritating and got in the way of him scouting out the island, but he couldn't get the kid to keep his mouth shut long enough to send him home.

"He won't leave me alone," he grumbled to Aqua as he undid his armor, "He's driving me crazy and I can't get him to listen to me."

She chuckled. "I think you like him, but you're too stubborn to admit it. You're a role model for him."

"I wish I wasn't," he groaned, pulling the pillow over his head.

After two weeks of surveying the island, the two Keyblade wielders were no closer to figuring anything out. The Heartless had been sparse in appearing since they had arrived, so there were no signs leading to their goal or of the Keyhole, letting them enter the world.

"There should be an entrance somewhere, but I'm not picking up anything from anywhere in this town," Terra muttered as they walked into the kitchen from their morning training, "It's around here somewhere, but something is either blocking it, or it's out of my range."

Demetra looked up from making breakfast. "You two really are working hard. You deserve a break."

"There's never a break. We practice, we do our job, we head back home, and we train. The process repeats itself over and over," Aqua muttered dryly.

Lericc bounded around the corner and, ignoring Terra growls of complain, he started questioning him again. "Are you sure I can't use a Keyblade?"

"I'm sure," Terra replied, cradling his forehead in his hands, "for the thousandth time."

"And there isn't any way?"

"Lericc, please," Demetra sighed, "Give them a break. Asking once is enough."

Aqua settled back in her chair. "There is a way, isn't there?"

"I know what you're talking about, and no, it's not possible," he retorted, glaring at her over his fingers.

Lericc sat up. "There is?"

"Not really. It's used by masters to choose successors in the absence of actual chosen wielders, but it's not something I understand the mechanics of. And our master always says…"

"'If you don't understand how it works, you can't do it'," Aqua chorused, rolling her eyes.

Demetra giggled. "You master seems like a great person."

"He is," Aqua smiled, "A little strict at times, but he's an amazing teacher. He's been family for us in the absence of our real ones."

Lericc leaned forward to reach the cereal box, but his reach was too short. "What happened to your families?"

"None of your business," Terra snapped, pushing the box into his outstretched hand, "Besides, it doesn't matter. Master Eraqus is family enough."

Demetra sat down at the table with her own breakfast. "But doesn't it get lonely? Family is always there for you, and they help you feel loved. Don't you miss that?"

The answer was mixed: Aqua's clear "yes" muffled with Terra's blunt "no".

"That's… interesting," Demetra muttered, eyebrows raised. "So alike, and yet, so different. You two were made for each other."

Red faced, Terra grabbed a piece of toast off a plate and left, biting it nervously as he walked out the front door. 'Why did such an offhand comment set me off? Aqua and I aren't… There's nothing between us. We're friends. That's all. That's all… isn't it?'


	3. Strength

**Chapter 3 - Strength**

* * *

Destiny Islands, Ten years before _Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep_

* * *

Terra stalked back and forth along the beach, making sure to keep the town in sight as he did. He was trying to work off his tension, but it wasn't helping. Sand kept seeping into his armored boots, pooling around and between his toes. 'I can add this to my list of reasons why I hate the beach: sand gets in everything.' The sun beat down mercilessly on him as it rose higher in the sky, as if sensing the futility of his internal conflict. 'Why do I get so angry every time someone says something about Aqua and I being… together? We're not! It's not like there's anything going on. She's my friend and that's it. I know that. She knows that… Does she know that? Why am I even thinking it? Of course she knows that. So why am I so upset about this?' Throwing his hands up in defeat, he dropped himself roughly into the sand, arms and legs folded haphazardly.

"Someone's in a bad mood," Demetra laughed, walking up and sitting down beside him.

He grunted, eyes closed, feeling his muscles tense up.

She cleared her throat nervously. "Listen, I wanted to see if you were alright. After the way you walked out like that, I… Was it something I said?"

"Not really," he sighed, rubbing his temples with one hand, "I'm just getting a little frustrated with how things are going. I want to finish up and get out of here."

"You don't like it here?"

He looked at her and was suddenly tongue-tied. "That's… I, uh… N-not… Kinda. It's n-nice here and all but… I hate oceans. And beaches."

"Why's that?"

"Do you really want to ask that question? I've got a really long list."

She giggled. "Guess not. I can understand why you're getting frustrated, though. It sounds like you've hit a dead end on your leads."

"Mhm. The Heartless aren't making any serious moves. Whatever it is that they're looking for, they know where it is, but they can't get to it. If the Heartless don't move, then we can't find it. If they don't stand looking, we won't find the Keyhole."

"What exactly is a Keyhole?"

He sat back, his forehead creasing. "It's basically the door to this world. Every world has a door, connecting it to Kingdom Hearts and the Realm of Darkness."

"Kingdom Hearts?"

"The Heart of All Worlds. It holds immense power, but no one can get to Kingdom Hearts because the door is closed, and it'll stay that way until someone finds a way to open it… or so I've heard. Anyway, the door to this world is unlocked, so the Heartless are using it to get in. If we can lock the Keyhole, the Heartless will be cut off, and we can just clean up the ones left over."

"And then you'll leave?"

"Most likely. Once we clean up, this world will be safe. After that, we return to our world and continue our training."

"Sounds like a lot of work for you. I didn't know there were people as young as me working to save the universe…"

"Younger. I've been doing this for more than half my life, and a lot of the other Keyblade wielders are really old, but everyone is working really hard, no matter what age. We've dedicated our lives to that."

She paused, crossing her legs. "Your lives, huh? Aqua mentioned… that you had some bad experiences with people. She wouldn't say what exactly, but she made it sound like you're not really thinking of the future."

"She told you that?" he muttered dryly, inwardly cringing.

"Was she right?"

"Yes."

"You can't do that," Demetra sighed, sounding a bit like a scolding parent, "You're acting like the future isn't going to change anything. The fighting will stop someday, don't you think? And when that time comes, you'll need to find something else to live for. …Someone else to live for."

He growled, standing up, his anger renewed. "You're both the same! Can't I just be me, by myself!? What's so important about thinking of the future? It's not here yet! I don't need anyone or anything like that!" He stopped to catch his breath, but when he went to open his mouth again, he didn't have anything to say. His anger had deflated. Frustrated with his own stupidity, he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood and sat back down.

"Do you really think that?"

"I'm… not sure. I've been confused about a lot of things lately. But I meant what I said: the future isn't important right now. What's important now is fighting against darkness and the Heartless. I'll think of the future when it comes."

Demetra closed her eyes, seeming to mull over his words for a while before she smiled. "You know that Terra is a girl's name, right?"

"Everyone says that!" he snapped, anger flaring again, "It's not!"

"But it is. It's a girl name, usually."

"I'm not getting into this argument again," he sighed, pressing his forehead against his knees. Demetra laughed, and he was glad she couldn't see him blush in embarrassment.

"Why is your name Terra, then?"

"It's a name representing the earth. It reflects fortitude and dependability. It's a name of strength."

"Sounds like it."

Suddenly, Terra felt the hair stick up on the back of his neck stand up. He bolted to his feet, Keyblade at the ready, but there was nothing in sight. Demetra stood beside him, but her presence wasn't interfering. The tingling sensation on his skin persisted.

"Terra!"

Hearing his name, he looked up. Aqua dashed across the sand towards them, Keyblade in hand, looking tense. She locked eyes with him for one moment, just as confused as he felt, and took a moment to control her breathing.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I felt something strange from here – a surge of magical energy – but now it's gone," she mumbled, looking around hastily.

Terra rolled his eyes. "I wasn't talking about you," he said, pointing at Lericc, who had followed Aqua down the beach.

"I came too!" he smiled, looking excited.

"Apparently."

Aqua chuckled. "Terra, are you picking up anything?"

"Plenty, but it's not doing me any good," he snarled, "There's a lot of interference, so I can't pinpoint whatever it is."

Demetra gasped. "I think we have bigger problems than that."

Turning to her, he followed her line of sight until he saw what she was talking about. Fifteen or so feet away, from the line of grass between the beach and the town pathways, a group of about ten Heartless, Shadows, rose up, twitching and squirming. They stalked forward, slowly at first, and another troop, four Neoshadows, rose from the ground around in front of the Keyblade wielders.

'But… how? Why didn't I notice them before? …We must be close to the Keyhole.' Terra growled, hefting his Keyblade onto his shoulder. "I really hate when my conversations get interrupted."

Aqua smirked. "How about we resolve that problem, then?"

"I'm all for it."

One of the Neoshadows leapt at them, but Aqua was ready, casting an Aero spell that knocked it up into the air. Terra concentrated some magic into his Keyblade and swung overhand at the falling Heartless: the power obliterated it, but the attack wasn't finished. His Keyblade hit the sand and he released the magical energy, creating a wide shockwave. Some of the Heartless condensed themselves against the ground, unaffected, but a few were caught in the wave and vanished. Three Neoshadows and four Shadows remained.

Aqua catapulted over him, using his back as a springboard before launching magic at them. 'I hate when she does that.' Turning to Demetra, he said, "Keep Lericc with you. If they try to jump you, keep moving. They don't like salt water," he added quickly.

Demetra, looking rather frightened, managed a brave nod and grabbed Lericc's arm, keeping the excited child away from the battling. "Be careful," she added, sounding shaken.

Terra turned back to the battle in time to block as a Neoshadow jumped at him, another one grappling with Aqua. He shifted his weight into a blocking position and leaned back, giving the Heartless so leeway. As it pressed forward, he shifted his block, bring his the grip of the Keyblade down while turning it into an attack position, ramming the weapon right through it. It disintegrated into dust.

A scream brought his attention back behind him, and he turned. Demetra and Lericc were surrounded by a dome constructed from hexagonal panels of clear magic: a Reflect spell. The Shadows that tried to attack them bounced harmlessly off, some landing in the water where they vanished with a screech.

Before he could process where the magic came from, something collided with him, knocking him on to his stomach. Detangling his arm from his Keyblade, which was pinned under him, he pushed off the beach with one side, hoping to roll himself and whatever was on top of him over, but his hand slipped and he ended up face first in the sand. Suddenly, the weight was gone and he sat up, spitting sand out of his mouth. Aqua chuckled as she cart wheeled past him.

"Not funny," he growled, grabbing his Keyblade as he scrambled to his feet.

They took care of the remaining Shadows with ease, the little Heartless putting up almost no challenge, but Aqua looked a little pale, and Terra's arms felt sore.

"That was almost too easy," he breathed, using his Keyblade for support.

As if on cue, ten more Neoshadows appeared, surrounding them. Demetra shrieked as Lericc clung to her waist, but she didn't looks as frightened anymore.

Aqua, on the other hand, was furious. "You and your big mouth!"

"Well, excuse me for stating the obvious!" he snapped back, switching quickly to a two-handed style to take the strain off his arms before he charged back in.

Three of the Neoshadows attempted to surround him, two coming at him from one side while the other circled around from his other side. Switching his Keyblade to his wrong arm, he blocked the first two, causing them to collide clumsily into each other, and his used his free arm to backhand the third. Startled and shocked, it stumbled backwards and was caught in the surf, shrieking as it vanished. Direct contact with the Heartless hadn't been one of his smarter ideas: his hand stung as the darkness it radiated clung to his skin. He tried to shake it off, which didn't work, and that gave the Neoshadows time to attack, having recovered quickly. They jumped him and he fell backwards, managing to use his momentum to toss one of them over his head and into the water. It had managed to cling to his Keyblade, and the action dragged the metal weapon from his unsteady grip.

The third Neoshadow, cringing with a death grip to his side no matter how much he squirmed, didn't waste any time. Using its clawed hands, it began reaching into him, using darkness to phase into his body and reach for his heart. Panicking, Terra called back his Keyblade and started pummeling the Heartless' side with it. This stunned it enough to withdraw its reach a bit. Overcoming the pain, he rolled into the wake of an oncoming wave, and both he and the Heartless were doused. It exploded into dust, sending shockwaves of darkness and pain rippling through his body, powerful enough to make him gasp and get a mouthful of salt water and sand in response.

Aqua, farther up from the water, was facing down the other seven. They charged at her clumsily, slashing and swiping, but she dodged out of the way, cart wheeling and back flipping out of harm's way. The pattern continued so fast that Aqua didn't have time to stop dodging: blocking one would lead another to attack, and stopping to attack would leave her defenses open. Formulating her plan, Aqua channeled her magic into hands and feet and, as she cart wheeled away, launched fireballs from he feet as she swung them up. The magic nailed the Heartless squarely and it disintegrated, distracting the others long enough from her nail another two from behind with her Keyblade. Two more jumped at her, but she twisted on her feet into a crouch, using the sand to spin around and slice them in half. The last two attacked her backside and she sliced up through one. The other hit her full force, knocking to the ground, but it was blasted off her by a large shard of ice through its head.

Terra, lying flat on the beach, the edge of his Keyblade dusted with frost, smirked. "That," he panted, too tired to pull himself up, "makes us… even."

Aqua smiled wearily back. "So it does."

Feeling his heart skip a beat at her smile, he tried to stand up, falling flat back on his face in the sand. Using his Keyblade to support himself, he managed to get to his knees, but no farther. His limbs ached from the weight of his Keyblade and from the darkness that had clung to him. The darkness pressed in on him, distorting his senses and making him more tired than he should have been. Aqua ran over to help him up, steadying him, but he tried to shift most of his weight away from her, seeing that she looked exhausted as well.

"I think we've found our target," Aqua whispered to him.

He blinked, trying to clear the confusion from his head, and cringed as another wave of pain rippled through him. "How so?"

"Look."

She tilted her head forward, and he followed her gaze to Demetra, who was staring at her hands in confusion. It hit him suddenly. 'That was her. I thought it was Aqua, but… That Reflect spell was her. Demetra's heart is strong, and it's drawing the Heartless here.'


	4. Disasters

**Chapter 4 - Disasters**

* * *

Destiny Islands, Ten years before _Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep_

* * *

Terra stared blankly at Demetra for a few minutes, letting his realization sink in. "How did we not see this?" he asked Aqua, incredulous, "We were with her the whole time, and we didn't notice?"

"Master Eraqus said that the power of a heart isn't always noticeable at first. It has to be awakened," Aqua shrugged, careful not to disrupt her hold on him as they walked over to join their little group on the beach, "It explains a lot, though. Like why we didn't see any Heartless for a while. They most have sensed our hearts and the Keyblades and decided that they couldn't risk going for hers."

'That doesn't sound right,' Terra mused, 'It's… too organized. They were waiting, but not for us. It's something else… but what?'

Demetra was still staring at her hands in shock. When they stopped beside her, she looked up. Her eyes were a mix of fear, joy, and confusion. "Did I… did I do that?"

"Seems like it," he muttered, nodding a 'thank you' to Aqua as he released her. His limbs still hurt and the darkness was starting to fade, but he could stand on his own now. Besides, being that close to Aqua had made his heart beat faster and his skin heat up. He hoped she hadn't noticed. On the bright side, his clothes were dry, salt caked on them and in his hair.

"How? I didn't… I've never done anything like that before."

Aqua folded her arms, wincing at the effort as the armor attachments on her sleeves made lifting them more difficult. "You've got a strong heart. This kind of thing happens. Most of the time, people with strong hearts never unlock their potential, but you did, probably trying to protect yourself and your brother."

"Speaking of Lericc," Demetra interrupted, much to Aqua's chagrin, "where is he?"

Rocking back on his heels, Terra looked around. The younger boy was nowhere to be seen, and his presence seemed to have evaporated with the Heartless. 'Heartless…' "You don't think…?" he turned to Aqua, frantic. Truth be told, he _was_ actually worried.

She shook her head. "No, he's still around. He's probably out of your range. He's around here somewhere."

"I'll go look for him." Terra knew that Aqua would object, worried about his injuries, but something was nagging at him. He needed to find Lericc. His body objected as well, but he put it out of his mind. Before either girl could stop him, he took off along the beach.

He lost sight of them after traversing a wooden pier, but it wasn't until the third one that his body called it quits. He landed on his feet in a crouch, planning to spring up and continue his run, but the muscles in his legs twitched in protest, having run completely out of energy. All balance lost, he crashed into the sand and lay there on his side, trying to catch his breath, too tired even to blink.

'I'm no good to anyone if I can't even move! Why, why, why can't I think logically for once? Aqua and Master Eraqus would have told me I was being stupid, but no, I never listen to anyone with sense…'

Finally, after that felt like hours, Terra stopped beating himself up over his actions and sat up. Judging by the sun's position, he hadn't been lying there for long, but he didn't want to waste any more time. He managed to push himself back to his feet and as he did, he felt a presence behind him, his hair standing on end. Spinning around, Keyblade in hand, he prepared to attack and just as suddenly stopped.

Lericc smiled at him, hands folded behind his back.

Terra relaxed, dismissing his weapon. "Where were you?" he asked, hands on his hips. He felt like a scolding parent, but something about the entire situation felt off.

"Nowhere," Lericc grinned, as though he was telling a joke, "and everywhere."

"I'm not in the mood for riddles."

The younger boy looked sad. "I was looking for my friends. They all ran away, so I figured we were playing a game. I'm kind of mad at them, though."

Terra tried to clear his head. "Your friends?" He'd never seen anyone hanging around before, and Lericc never mentioned having any friends before.

"Yeah," he smiled again. "They show up all the time and play with me, but I didn't want them to meet you yet, so I told them to hide while you guys were around. They didn't listen to me this time, which made me really angry."

"They didn't listen to you?"

He shook his head. "Nope, they didn't. I kinda got scared. They always listen to me, but not this time. So, I wanted to tell them how angry I was. They weren't supposed to do that. They tried to hurt my sister, and that's why I'm made at them."

It took a moment for Terra's brain to sort out all the information. When it did, he staggered backwards, startled. "The Heartless… Your friends are the Heartless…" 'It all makes sense now… Why the Heartless never attacked us before: he told them not to. Why I've never been able to sense their presence: their darkness has latched on to him and it's throwing off my senses. The Heartless were drawn to him because of Demetra… or maybe he drew them… and he befriended them. His heart is full of darkness and the Heartless are responding to it.'

"Yeah, they are," Lericc smiled, completely innocent, "and they always come and play with me. Not like you…"

"What?"

Lericc looked at him, and Terra could see the emotion welled up inside of them: sadness, anger, fear, and confusion. "You're really cool. You're strong and brave, everything I want to be. I thought that maybe you would show me all kinds of things and tell me all about your adventures, but you didn't. You didn't want me around. Not like my friends. My friends always like having me around. Now… I don't want you around."

The boy balled his hands into fists, his entire form shaking. Around them, the black puddles of coming Neoshadows began to form, so many that they blacked out most of the beach.

"Lericc, don't do this. Calm down," Terra said, trying to get him to relax. The Heartless were being drawn to them by his powerful emotions. If he could calm down, they might give up and go away.

It was too late. The Neoshadows, numbering in fifties or sixties, sprung out of the ground, eyes locked on the pair of them. Lericc was as surprised as Terra, backing away from them, his eyes now filled with fear. On reflex, the apprentice grabbed the boy by the arm and pulled him to his side, summoning his Keyblade. All the Neoshadows perked up, eyes drawn to the shining metal weapon.

"I never meant to…" Lericc muttered, scared out of his mind, gripping fistfuls of Terra's shirt, "There are _so many_…"

"Stay close to me," Terra instructed him, firm but quiet. "No matter what, don't let them grab you."

"Okay…"

'We're doomed,' he mused darkly. He still hadn't fully recovered from before, his arms and legs still too sore to maneuver properly, his mind still clouded by the residual darkness. To make matters worse, he couldn't let Lericc leave his side, meaning that his reactions would be impeded exponentially. It was the worst possible situation to be in, and there wasn't a single way out. His Rider wasn't an option: he could only use it properly in his armor, which meant letting go of Lericc, and he'd loose the use of his only weapon during the transformation.

One of the Neoshadows stepped forward and Terra turned towards it, but it was a trick: something collided with him from behind, knocking both Lericc and his Keyblade away. He stumbled, trying to call his Keyblade back, trying to keep Lericc in sight, but the Heartless pressed in on him, slashing and swiping continuously. He did the only thing he could think of: he blocked with his arms and struck at them with his fists. Within seconds, his skin felt like it was on fire, darkness burning his skin. It threw off his balance, giving the Neoshadows their chance. They began batting him back and forth, their attacks turning from scratches to scrapes and then into bleeding gashes.

Suddenly, their attacks stopped, and Terra turned in time to have one of the Neoshadows collide with his chest, knocking him backwards at it grabbed him, its claws sinking into his skin. In all the confusion, the mass of Heartless had pushed him up onto the pier, and the collision was enough to send him flying off the end. They landed in the water, far out from the shore, in a large splash. The Heartless, which had been reaching for his heart, jerked and twitched, torn between grabbing his heart and the power of the salt water, and then exploded to dust.

The proximity of its reach to his heart had a great impact. The pain was agonizing, making him forget all about the salt water stinging his wounds. He screamed. Terra's weight had dragged them deep enough into the water that, when he did, all the air escaped his lungs. The water that filled them added to the pain: his throat and lungs burned, both from the salt and from the desire for air. He wanted air, but his body wouldn't respond. He was sinking. He was dying. Everything went black.

* * *

When Terra jerked back into consciousness, his eyes snapped wide open and he gasped, letting the air fill his lungs graciously. Salt burned in his throat and on his skin, but his attention wasn't on that. Though his vision was hazy, he could still make out Aqua leaning over him, silhouetted in the orange light of the sun. She was soaking wet, her hair plastered all over her face, her clothes stained with drying salt. Her blue eyes were filled with concern, fear, and agony, and her eyes were red as if she'd been crying, a fact supported by the lingering tears pouring from her eyes.

"Am I… dead?" he asked, his throat raw. It hurt to talk, and he couldn't move most of his body, minus his fingers and toes.

Aqua sobbed, her agonized expression changing to a sad and relieved smile. "Why would you think that?"

"Because… you look like an angel," he croaked, smiling weakly back at her.

She pouted playfully. "Jerk. Don't ever do that to me again! I though you were… Just don't do that!" She gripped his hand tighter, something he hadn't noticed she'd been doing.

He took a moment to absorb his surroundings. He was lying on the beach, Aqua on one side of him, Demetra kneeling on the other. Sand had been plowed into little piles, indicators of some fighting, with burnt patches scattered about. The sun was close to setting, its bottom edge just touching the horizon. There wasn't a Heartless in sight.

"Sorry," he muttered, "What happened?"

Aqua shook her head, sobbing, refusing to loosen her death grip on his arm.

Demetra, who was also red eyed, took over. "We came looking for you, but by the time we got here, there were so many Heartless… After we'd taken out a few, there was a large splash. We didn't think much of it until the rest vanished and we saw your Keyblade. Aqua dived in after you, and when she came up, you weren't breathing. She'd been performing CPR for half an hour, and you still weren't breathing, so… she, uh… slammed her fist down on your chest, and here you are."

"You selfish, inconsiderate jerk!" Aqua sobbed, crying profusely, "I thought you were…and you were going to…" Her yells broke out into unintelligible wails and she broke down, crying against his chest.

Struggling to list his arm, he patted her on the back comfortingly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that. You know I wouldn't go and die on you that easily. Besides," he smiled, "A little water never hurt anyone."

She bolted sitting up, glaring at him, and then punched his chest again, making him cringe in pain. "Don't even joke about that. Never again. Promise."

"Promise," he breathed, propping himself up painfully on his elbows. Noticing his pain, Aqua set about healing him, slower and steadier than usual. Terra turned his attention to Demetra, knowing better than to disturb Aqua at work. "Where's Lericc?"

Demetra was surprised. "What do you mean?"

"He was with me when the Heartless attacked. I lost him when they started beating me around." He paused, thinking. "You didn't see him?"

"Not at all," she answered, her voice suddenly sounding very small to him.

Suddenly alert, he jerked into a sitting position, ignoring Aqua's protests, and began to search for Lericc's presence. There wasn't anything there, but he refused to stop looking, thinking that something was interfering. He only stopped when Aqua started shaking his shoulders roughly, saying something that he couldn't catch.

"What did you say?" he blinked, finally looking at her squarely.

"Lericc's gone. While we were fighting the Heartless, I felt his presence one minute, and it was gone the next," she explained, and then stared at him sadly. "He's gone."

Terra felt his chest tighten, sadness and rage stabbing at his heart like knives. "He's… gone? Then… I'm… It's my fault… It's all… my… fault…"


	5. Yourself

**Chapter 5 - Yourself**

* * *

Destiny Islands, Ten years before _Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep_

* * *

Trying to explain the situation to Demetra's parents was the hardest thing to do. Despite Aqua's earlier protests, Terra took full responsibility for what happened. Demetra's mother slapped him across the face and screamed at him to leave before she broke down sobbing in her husband's arms. The Keyblade wielder didn't waste a moment; he left without another word. Aqua offered to go with him, but he shook his head in refusal. With nowhere else to go, he went back to the beach.

The sun had almost set by that time, casting an eerie orange glow on everything, just as it had been when they had arrived. Sitting down close to the surf, he ran his fingers through the sand, watching as the lines he traced quickly vanished. Despite the time he had taken to rest, he still felt sore and stiff, wanting more than before to take a nice long nap. 'Not like the one I almost took before,' he cringed, 'Nothing that permanent.' The water rose up around his armored boots, pouring in through every crack and joint it could find. Experimentally, he lifted one leg up, jumping when the water rolled down into his pants. He settled himself farther back from the water, hugging his knees.

He sighed. "I thought you got my message. You didn't have to come."

Aqua settled herself next to him. "I wanted to come. I'm not staying there without you."

"You have to protect Demetra."

"_We_ have to protect Demetra. I'm not doing it without you."

He groaned, folding his arms on top of his legs as he sat up straighter. "It's my fault this happened. I don't want you sharing any of the blame with me."

"It's not your fault," she began, placing a comforting hand on his arm, but stopped when he pulled away. Instead, she crossed her legs, hands resting on her knees, and stared out at the water. She was waiting, inviting him to talk to her.

"It is my fault," he said, and explained to her everything Lericc had told him and the conclusions he had come to.

Aqua listened patiently, not looking once at him, silently listening. When he finished, she sighed. "I think… you've stopped being you."

"Huh?"

"You're not acting like Terra anymore. It feels like… part of you has stopped working, and the rest of you is working in overdrive to make up for it. It's an important part, but it's as though you can't seem to find just what it is."

He glanced at her sideways. "What do you think I'm missing, then? You seem to know so much about it."

"I think…" she paused, thinking long and hard about what she wanted to say, "I think that it's not what you've lost, but what you've gained."

"Can we skip the Freudian baloney and get to the point?"

She nodded. "When we first met, you were so distant with everyone because you were hurt. Not physically, but emotionally. You were hurt in a way that you couldn't heal by yourself and that no one around you could heal, so you hid your pain from everyone. It was hard for you to open up to anyone."

He grunted acknowledgement. No one knew about that better than Aqua. She had taken the time to get him to open up to her, and that had made a difference.

"After that, after you started opening up," she continued, as though she had sensed his train of thought, "I guess it seemed like that was enough. You'd found what you needed to finally rid yourself of that pain. You could finally start being yourself. You stopped hiding your pain, and found that people accepted you for it. Now, though, it's not enough. The pain is back…no, it never fully went away, but you thought it did. You've left yourself in a vulnerable position. Your pain is being exploited, which has never happened before, and you don't know what to do."

"Thank you for rubbing it in," he muttered dryly. She was right and he knew it, but hearing it from her made it hurt a lot more. He was weak, and it felt like she was making fun of him for it.

"Terra, I'm not trying to rub it in, and I'm not trying to hurt you. All I want is for you to face this. Don't let it get the best of you. Stand up to it and be yourself!"

"And how exactly do I do that?" he snapped back, louder and angrier than he had meant to be.

Aqua jumped to her feet. "Face it! Be your usual confident self! Stand up tall; show it that it hasn't gotten the best of you, and fight back! Say something that sounds ridiculous that you can't argue with no matter how much you try! Think of some stupid and crazy plan that'll end up working out fine in the end anyway! Yell at me if it makes you feel better! Just do something!"

Instead, he stood up and did something that surprised both of them: he hugged her. She flinched, but didn't try to pull away. After a moment, he started laughing and stepped back, smirking. "At least I know now how you see me."

She scowled. "Don't listen to what I say when I get worked up," she snorted in annoyance.

He smiled, the expression more relaxed. "Thank you, Aqua."

From her expression, she was startled, but she smiled back. "You know, I really was worried about you. Guess you're your good old self again."

"Guess I am," he muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets, staring out at the water.

Aqua stared out with him, standing close. "I panicked."

"Hmm?"

"When I saw your Keyblade on the beach, and I connected the splash to it, I panicked. I forgot everything we'd been taught about protecting people and I raced in to get you. I left Demetra alone, but I wasn't thinking about that at the time. All I knew was that I had to find you. I figured you were stuck or fighting or something, so when I saw you down there, I… my mind just went blank. You did look dead, so still… I was still panicking, but I felt so much stronger, so much surer of what I had to do. I actually managed to drag you to the surface without much trouble. Even then, you didn't move. When I hit you, it was because Demetra had suggested I give up."

"But you didn't," he pointed out.

"You're my friend, Terra. The only one I've got. We've been through so much together that losing you would be worse than losing an arm or a leg. I'd be missing part of myself. I… I couldn't stand losing you like that. I didn't want to think that that was the way I was going to remember you, pale and lifeless. I want to remember you as you are now; the brave, confident Terra who's always supporting me. The guy I can depend on to watch my back and stick up for me when I need it, but who's just as fine letting me do my own thing."

"And you used CPR," he muttered, blushing. "As in, you technically kissed me."

Aqua squeaked, apparently not having realized that before. "D-don't expect me to do that again! If you drown again, I'll get a dog to do it."

"I think the slobber alone would revive me," he joked, and they both laughed.

"Good to see that you two are in high spirits again," Demetra called as she joined them, donning her orange sweater. "I shouldn't have been so concerned about it."

Terra stared at her blankly. "I didn't think you'd want to be around us, after what happened."

"I understand why you'd think that, but you couldn't be farther from the truth. I am upset about what happened to Lericc, but I don't blame you for it. I know it's not your fault. The Heartless are the ones to blame. So, I want to do what I can to help you get rid of them, even if only from here."

"Well, for starters, we need somewhere to rest. I don't know about this dope," Aqua muttered, pointing accusingly at Terra, "but I'm tired."

"Can't argue with you there," he shrugged.

Demetra smiled. "Well, I think there's one place, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea."

"Anything is better than nowhere," the female Keyblader replied. "Where is it?"

"There." Demetra pointed out at the island, visible from their spot on the beach. "But it's far away from the town, there's no electricity, and there isn't much there to eat other than coconuts. On the bright side, the mountain gives a great view of the entire area, and there's fresh water, so it _is_ possible to live out there…" She sounded skeptical.

Terra shrugged. "Sounds like camping to me. I think we're up for it, right?"

"At least it'll be better than our last one," she cringed.

"I'll go find us a boat, then," Demetra nodded, and then she turned and ran off.

"Now I see the resemblance…" he chuckled.

Aqua stared at him. "Resemblance to what?"

"You two are a lot alike," he muttered, "You have something I admire. Determination. You don't give up, especially when people expect you to."

"Are you implying something that I'm not catching?"

He smirked. "Only that I owe you for saving my life."

"I'll keep that in mind," she smiled deviously.

"Do you think…" he muttered, pushing the sand around with his boots, "Do you think Demetra might be a Keyblade wielder?"

She shook her head. "Not likely. I'm only going by what Master Eraqus said, though. I don't feel anything like a Keyblade from her. She's probably not going to get any farther than basic magic. The potential is there, but I don't think she'll go through with it after we clean up here."

"Why not?"

"She's an islander, plain and simple. She's helping us because the problem affects her. Traveling to other worlds doesn't concern her, and she's fine keeping it that way."

He thought for a moment. "Would you have done the same? If things hadn't happened with your family like they did, would you have just written everything off and gone on living your life?"

"Probably," she replied, "And we'd be very different people because of it. In retrospect, I'm kinda glad it happened. I like my life the way it is now. Besides, you'd be hopeless without me."

"Would not," he sniffed indignantly, "I can handle myself without you around. It doesn't work the other way around, though." He added.

Aqua blushed, elbowing him sharply in the side. "I can too handle myself without you. I was thinking of what Master Eraqus would think of me if I let you die."

"That's not what you said before," he teased, and Aqua attempted to kick him, missing narrowly as he jumped out of the way.

"Get back here so I can hurt you!" she yelled, chasing after him.


	6. Impasse

**Chapter 6 - Impasse**

* * *

Destiny Islands, Ten years before _Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep_

* * *

The moment Demetra docked the boat at the island's pier, Terra got out and looked around. The island was mostly mountainous, the dark grey rock smoothed out from years of island storms. Growing all over the place were hoards of trees of various kinds. Palm trees grew everywhere, collecting near the rock face in one part of the beach, and in an alcove in another. Giant deciduous trees, the specific type eluding him, also grew, with platforms and ladders built into them. Sand had been cordoned off in sections to create an upper tier, farther back from the beach. One section of the island sported a shack that led to a bridge, built to join a smaller chunk of rock to the rest of the island. The rock section had a peculiar tree on it, bent at an odd angle with large yellow fruit growing on it. Terra was going to ask about it, but the hair stood up on the back of his neck.

"It's here."

Aqua and Demetra both looked at him. "What's here?" Aqua asked.

"The Keyhole. It's here," he said, feeling renewed energy burning within him. "It's somewhere on this island. That's why I couldn't find it before. It was too far away."

"Makes a bit of sense," Aqua mused, climbing nimbly out of the boat, "Though I don't see how the Heartless could stand it. They hate salt water."

"Doesn't make a difference if they like it or not," he mumbled. "Heartless act on instinct, not preference. Besides, if the door is here, what do they care what the conditions are like? It's a way in."

Demetra finished tying up the boat. "So, the door to the world is here?"

"Probably," Aqua muttered, shooting Terra a semi-skeptical glance. "Know any places it could be hidden?"

"I've never actually been to the island before, but I've heard people talking about it. There are a lot of caves scattered around the mountain base. It's probably in one of those."

Aqua groaned. "Looks like we're not getting any rest today."

Terra looked over at the sun, whose light had almost completely faded, leaving a purple glow on everything it touched. "Look on the bright side. Once we finish find it, we just close it up and clear out the remaining Heartless. Then we're on our way home."

"Back to more early mornings, late nights, and endless hours of training. Lucky us," she grumbled sarcastically.

"No one forced you to sign up," he pointed out.

Demetra stepped between them. "You two, enough. Can we get to work on finding this door before we lose our only source of light?"

They split up to search, Demetra going with Aqua while Terra headed off alone. The girls took the larger section of the beach, and he went to search the tree-filled alcove. The scent of the salt mixed in with that of the palm trees and coconuts, picked up by a cool breeze. He shivered, wishing he was wearing something warmer, and began his search.

Demetra had been right; there were a number of small caverns scattered along the mountainside. Methodically checking each of them, he came up empty handed. When he finished, he mounted a ledge and sat down, trying to relax his sore muscles. He'd overused them for the day, and he was beginning to feel it. 'If I put too much strain on them, I won't be able to use them for a while. I'll have to pace myself until I can get a chance to rest.'

From off in the distance, he heard a scream and instantly sprang to his feet. It had come from the main beach, where Aqua and Demetra had been searching. A knot of tension formed in his chest and the hair on his neck stood on end, something telling him he had to hurry. As he tried to do so, a swarm of Neoshadows, twenty or thirty, rose out of the ground to meet him.

"Get out…" he grunted in between swings, splattering each Heartless as it lunged for him, "of my… WAY!"

They slashed and scratched at him, clawing at each other to try to get at him. His Keyblade was a flash of brown in the dark, slicing through Neoshadows with speed that surprised even him. The usually heavy weapon felt weightless, as if it was part of him rather than something he held. Each Neoshadow exploded into dust, forming a black cloud of darkness around him that hid his movements from his enemies.

When he slashed through the last one, he dropped to his knees, gasping for air. 'The rage of the Keyblade,' he mused, 'My rage. It's… powerful. Dangerous. I'll have to be careful.' Picking himself up, he dashed towards the main beach.

Demetra noticed his arrival first and tapped Aqua on the back. She didn't appear to respond, but her shoulders relaxed. She was focused on something in front of her, but he couldn't get a clear look at it.

"What happened?" he panted, skidding to a stop beside them.

"Heartless," Demetra muttered blankly, refusing to look up.

Aqua grunted annoyance. "But it hasn't moved."

Following her gaze, Terra met the eyes of the most frightening Heartless he had ever seen. It was a big black mass, vaguely resembling a Neoshadow. It was mostly humanoid, with hands that tapered out into claws, and feet that did the same. The most frightening part was how human it looked, with its short matted black hair and childish face. It swayed, its yellow eyes searching slowly for something. Suddenly, its eyes met Terra's and a wave of agony and pity washed over him.

That's when he realized what it was. It was Lericc's Heartless.

"We have to get it, before it moves," Aqua muttered, keeping her eyes locked on it.

Terra shook his head. "We can't. We can't, Aqua. It's Lericc… it's his…"

"His Heartless, I know. That doesn't change the fact that we…"

"I can't. I can't do it."

"Terra, we…"

"Look out!" Demetra screamed, and they both snapped to attention.

The Heartless was charging them, wobbling side to side as it ran. Aqua brought up her Keyblade to attack it, but Terra froze, unable to move at all. It ignored the female Keyblade wielder and headed straight for him. Quickly, she dove between them, holding the creature back.

"Terra!" she shouted, pushing the Heartless back with her Keyblade, where it skidded a few feet back, "Get moving!"

He wanted to move. He wanted to do something, but he couldn't. His feet felt frozen to the ground, his arms glued in place. Even if he could move, he wasn't sure he could help. Every part of his mind was screaming at him to run away.

Aqua charged at the Heartless, dodging and weaving around his sloppy swipes, as though she was an annoying fly it was trying to swat away. It took a lunge at her and she cart wheeled out of the way, blasting it with a flurry of fire, flashing through the air and trailing along the ground to consume it. The creature shrieked in pain, a grating noise that resembled nails on a chalkboard, but it was unharmed when the flames died away.

"It… can't be hurt by magic. It's absorbing it," Terra muttered vacantly, staring at the battle. He felt oddly detached from everything, as though he was watching a movie.

Growling her annoyance, Aqua renewed her dodging strategy, watching vainly for another opening. The Heartless attacked in a chaotic pattern like a confused and frightened child - a comparison that Terra instantly wiped from his mind - slashing at air at some points and coming within inches of Aqua at others. She did everything to draw it away from the others, but when it felt it was too far away, its crazed swipes would draw it back in their general direction, and she'd have to dodge towards it to attract its attention.

Formulating one of her plans, she flipped over its head, buying herself time as she landed between it and the water. It turned around and swiped at her, but she dodged out of the way, kicking it in the back with her armored boots. Stumbling and flailing, it collided headfirst with an incoming wave. To her dismay, it stood up again, seemingly only more annoyed before. It sprang at her, catching her off guard, but instantly bounced off an invisible wall and landed in another wave, farther out from the shore.

Demetra chuckled, sounding a little surprised. "I… I did it?"

"Don't speak too soon," Aqua scowled, glaring out at the water.

The Heartless stood up again, looking more annoyed than before, though now its wet appearance made it almost comical. It shook and twitched more violently than before as it scrambled back to the shore, sand spraying behind it. Aqua managed to block as it charged her, but the force sent both of them skidding back, her back pressed flat against the barrier for the second tier. Pushing off the ground, she got her behind over the edge and kicked the Heartless, sending it sprawling backwards. From there, she began her offensive action, darting around it in an unorganized circle as she did. She poked and prodded it with her Keyblade, occasionally changing direction when she figured it might be catching on to her strategy.

This only seemed to make the Heartless angrier, and both of them seemed to realize why. 'Aqua's attacks aren't doing any damage to it. She's not suited for physical offense, especially one like this. Her Keyblade uses enhanced magical strength, so it's just drawing off her powers. She's making it stronger and herself weaker at the same time. She's winning the battle for it.' Terra felt his stomach knot. 'She needs me. I'm the only one who can defeat it. I'm the only one who can defeat it and I'm the only one who can't find the nerve to fight it.'

Aqua stopped attacking and pulled back to catch her breath. The Heartless paused, staring at her for a long moment before it turn and fixed its eyes on Demetra. She flinched, but was ready to cast some more defensive magic, even though she looks unstable and tired. It watched her, making a noise similar to the crooning of a bird, a sad and lonely sound that made all of them cringe. Finally, it turned its attention to Terra, who met its eyes squarely, unable to act but unable to look away.

The crooning transformed into a distorted roar of rage, and it charged. Demetra jumped out of the way of one of its flailing arms, bit a little too late: its claws caught her side and she fell over with a shriek. It was charging right at Terra, but he found that he still couldn't move. Something blurred between them, colliding with the Heartless, and everything seemed to slow down to him.

Aqua had tackled the Heartless, using her shoulders to administer the most damage. The Heartless, steered away from its target, stopped on a dime and shoved back with its arm, smacking her back. In that instant, something flashed in Terra's vision, something that he wasn't sure he had seen. As the creature applied the most force to its swing, the dark features of its arm contorting like muscles contracting, Terra thought he saw an older Aqua, her armor broken in places and missing in others, staring at the sky in a desert-like world, her face bathed in a blue light.

The vision was over as suddenly as it had started, and time resumed its normal pace. The Heartless finished it swing, sending Aqua flying through the air, where she hit the beach at an awkward angle, skidding through the sand. When she finally came to a stop, she didn't move. Terra, flabbergasted; the Heartless, wary; and Demetra: they all froze, waiting for the female Keyblade wielder to get up. They waited for what seemed like ages.

Aqua didn't move an inch.


	7. Fury

**Chapter 7 - Fury**

* * *

Destiny Islands, Ten years before _Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep_

* * *

Seeing Aqua's still form made something in Terra snap. Everything contained inside him was suddenly and instantly released, transformed from tension, fear, and sadness into rage. He was angrier than he'd even been before. For all it was worth, he was mostly angry with himself, but it was something he wouldn't consciously admit. Aqua was dead because he had failed to act. The rage was joined by agony, twisting up his insides until he couldn't contain it. With an infuriated snarl, he summoned his Keyblade.

"I don't care who you are!" he roared, "No one hurts Aqua and gets away with it!"

The Heartless regarded him with earnest confusion, but Terra didn't care. He charged at it, bringing his Keyblade up in a powerful strike that sent the Heartless flying. It tumbled through the air and landed clumsily on its feet. From there, they began their battle, each one dodging the others' attacks, using the openings to try to land their own. They moved in similar fashions; wild and frenzied strikes coupled with narrow dodges. The powerful draft created by Terra's strikes made the Heartless cringe, but it came closer with its attacks, leaving the Keyblade wielder with a collection of scratches.

Finally, it landed a blow, its claws raking up the side of Terra's face. He stumbled back, gasping for air, watching his enemy closely while assessing the damage. It wasn't a serious injury, but sweat pouring down his face made it a painful distraction. The Heartless lunged for him and he stuck back, sending it sprawling back into the surf and receiving a deep gash on his arm in return. The creature rose, growling in anger. Terra didn't even twitch, staring it down.

Suddenly he felt the fiery core of his powers flare, fueled by some unknown force. Magic bubbled up under his skin, sending a tingling sensation in his arms and legs. He glowed with magical power, but it wasn't any magic he had encountered before. It didn't even seem like magic. It felt like part of his soul was burning, its power trickling into his muscles. This was his power, something only he could use, and he relished in the thought, a crude, cruel smile forming on his face. Something in the back of his mind was panicking, but he ignored it.

The Heartless charged at him, swaying wildly, but Terra met it with one slow, careful strike. Without even having to worry about aim, it hit the Heartless squarely and there was a sickening crack as it was tossed into the air. Pushing off the sand, he skidded to where it would land and hit it again, another slow perfect strike that resounded with a crack. Every movement of his body was more powerful, more chaotic and yet more controlled. The knot of tension in his chest dissipated, replaced by a dark sense of enjoyment.

With one last hit, he batted the Heartless away, knocking it clear across the beach into an odd collection of rocks piled up against the mountainside. He staggered back with his realization, his newfound power fading back to normal. 'I was… _enjoying_... that? Who am I becoming? _What_ have I become?' Placing a hand on his throbbing head, he went off to look for the Heartless.

The pile of rocks had closed off the entrance to a cave, and the stone fragments inside the opening told him his opponent was inside. He had to duck a bit to get inside, being a bit taller than those the cave had been intended for, which only added to his annoyance. 'I can't fight in here. It's too close.' Following the path along, he finally reached the end, where the cave opened into a cavern with a higher ceiling.

It was there in front of him. The Heartless was scrambling across the sandy floor of the cave, trying to pull itself towards the back. Terra stood there, following its intended path with his eyes. It was headed towards what looked like a door, dark brown wood with a strip of gold denoting the crack where it would open. There wasn't a doorknob, only a keyhole resembling a childish drawing, dark and empty.

"The Heart of this World," he muttered, dazed, "The Keyhole."

Hearing his voice, the Heartless shrieked and rolled onto its back, staring at him with its vacant yellow eyes. He stared back at it, looking it over. Its form was twisted and disfigured now, parts of its body sticking out at weird angles while other parts seemed to have caved in. It moaned and whined in pain and, for once, he felt sorry for it. Lericc's face stared out at him from the darkness, making it hurt even more. He kneeled before it, carefully reaching out to pat it on the head. The creature flinched under his touch, but it stayed where it was, crooning sadly as it cuddled against his palm.

His chest heaved in a silent sob of pain. "It hurts, doesn't it?"

The Heartless crooned a strangled reply.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, ruffling its blackened hair, "I really am. I've hurt you more than I can apologize for. There's nothing more I can do for you other than make it stop."

It stared up at him, its eyes almost expressing its sadness, and then nodded once, chirping out a long note of approval. His heart weighing ten times more in his chest, Terra hefted his Keyblade with his other hand and brought it down. Lericc's Heartless shattered to dust, filling the entire chamber before it vanished in an imaginary wind. With that done, he stood, forcing the action out of his burdened muscles, and pointed his Keyblade at the door. A beam of light shot from the end to the Keyhole, where it shone for a moment before a clicking was heard in the door and the Keyhole disappeared. Staring blankly at it, he finally turned and left, scraping his head on the rock when he forgot to duck.

When he descended the stairs from the upper tier, he found Demetra seated at the bottom, hugging her knees close to her chest. "It's over, isn't it?" she muttered, staring out at the water.

"Yes," he croaked, his throat dry. "It is."

She sobbed, her shoulders heaving. "That's good."

Sighing in exhaustion, he walked over and wrapped his arm around her shoulders in a half-hug, patting her lightly. She only sobbed more. After a while, she calmed down and he stood up again, stretching out his sore legs before he walked over to where Aqua lay. His heart wrenched when he saw her. Overcome with agony and rage, he dropped to his knees beside her, his entire body with unexpressed emotional pain. He sat down, staring out at the dark, unforgiving water, his hand resting lightly on hers.

To his surprise, her fingers twitched slightly. He jumped, staring at her for a moment before he leaned in closer. He could hear her breathing faintly, her breaths shallow and shaky, but she was breathing. Leaning back, he concentrated as much magic as he could into a healing spell and cast it, breathing a sigh of relief as her breathing regulated back to normal. The spell should have done more, but he was tired and healing magic had never been his strong point, even on good days.

Demetra walked over to them with slow, unsteady steps. "What's happening?"

"She's fine," he muttered, feeling exhaustion clawing at his mind, "Everything's gonna be fine. Found the Keyhole, too. All the Heartless are gone."

"You okay?"

He nodded. "Just… do us a favor. Stick around until we finish our nap." Slurring his words, he closed his eyes and passed out.

* * *

After a week of rest and recovery, the two Keyblade wielders decided it was time to leave. No more Heartless had shown up on the island and Demetra had proven that she could take care of herself, so they were assured that everything would be fine if they left.

"At least until the door opens again," Terra shrugged, rolling his stiff shoulders. "And even that would take some doing. Not just anyone can open a door like that."

Demetra laughed. "I don't think anyone like that'll come around this place for a while. Everything'll turn out fine." Her expression darkened and she fussed over her sweater. "It's not gonna be the same without you two around," she mumbled.

"We'll come back," Aqua reassured her, "Even if only to visit. You'll see."

"You don't need to do that. Even if you don't come back, I'll never forget you, so don't you go forgetting me either."

Terra gave her a firm nod. "You bet. We'll never be able to forget you," he smirked mischievously, "Whether we want to or not."

"Ignore him," Aqua snapped, elbowing her partner roughly. "You'll always be a friend of ours. That's a promise."

"I'll count on it," she said, and turned to leave. "Oh," she paused, looking back over her shoulder. "It _is_ a girly name, but I guess you pull it off." With a wave, she ran off.

Terra chuckled, knowing her comment was for him, but Aqua just frowned. "You'll explain that to me later, right?"

"Right," he smiled, and then he let his mind drift. "Aqua?"

"Hmm?"

"Is…" He stared at his feet. "Is there something that lets you see into the future? Not like an item, but a skill?"

Her eyebrows scrunched together for a minute. "Yeah, I think so. I think it's called 'clairvoyance' or something like that. It lets you see glimpses of the future, but not a lot of people have it. Derived from some form of ESP, if I'm correct." She paused. "Why do you ask?"

He shrugged, brushing the idea out of his head. "No reason, really. Just wondering." 'I couldn't have a crazy sounding skill like that, right?' He stretched his arms out. "Anyway, we better head back. Master Eraqus will be worried if we take any longer. Ready?"

She smiled. "Always."

Together, they punched their shoulder pads and their armor appeared in a flash of white light. Terra flexed his fingers inside his armor gauntlets and then looked over at Aqua. In her armor, she nodded. They both summoned their Keyblades and transformed them into their Keyblade Riders; Terra's brown and gold hovercraft-like vessel and Aqua's silver and cobalt hang glider style one. Mounting them, they gave the world they had come to appreciate one last glance before they kicked off the beach and were gone.


	8. Epilogue The bonded path

**Epilogue - The bonded path**

* * *

Land of Departure, Three months before _Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep_

* * *

Terra lay down in the grass, letting the cool breeze waft against his sweaty skin. It made him feel a bit cold, but it offset the burning in his muscles after a long day of training. Days in the Land of Departure usually went by like that; long hours of training starting early in the morning and ending late in the afternoon. Despite the strain it would put on a normal person, that was the daily routine, and years of this had made him accustomed to it. Closing his eyes, he folded his arms behind his head and took some time to relax.

Shuffling grass alerted him to his company, but he could tell by the strides and the way they walked that it was pleasant company, so he didn't complain. They sat down beside him, Ventus on his right and Aqua on his left, and lay back with him.

"Ven, what are you thinking?" Aqua asked after a moment.

"Why the sky is so blue," he replied dreamily, staring up at the subject of his interest. "I mean, there's blue and then there's _blue_. It's my favorite color."

Terra chuckled. "Which is obvious, airhead," he joked.

Ven smiled his usual bright, cheery smile. "Of course, isn't it?"

"The sky isn't actually blue," Aqua explained, trying to keep the seriousness in her voice, "It's black because empty space absorbs all light. The only reason we see the sky as blue is because the atmosphere that makes this world habitable consists of ozone and that makes the sky look blue."

"Not another science lecture, professor," Terra grumbled, rolling his eyes, and Ven laughed again.

They drifted back into a comfortable silence, relishing in the clear weather.

Terra opened his eyes again. "What are you thinking about Aqua?"

She smirked. "Master Qualification Exams."

"Don't remind me," he groaned, covering his eyes with one hand.

Ven sat up. "I thought you were looking forward to them."

"I'm looking forward to what comes _after_ them," he explained, gesturing in the air, "Not about actually taking them. I'm tired of being tested."

"Just think. Only a few more weeks and we'll be Masters. We can do what we want, go where we want to, learn and focus on what we like. We'll be free to follow our heart's desires, so to speak," Aqua sighed wistfully.

"You'll come back and visit me, right?" Ven asked, sounding a bit distressed.

Terra smiled. "You bet. It'll get pretty boring without you around. That's the only thing I'll regret. That, and leaving Master Eraqus alone to deal with you."

Ven laughed, but Aqua elbowed the oldest apprentice. "I don't see how Master Eraqus handled _you_ without me."

This got Ven laughing even more and soon all three of them were laughing, their laughter echoing through the rocks and trees around them. Eventually, they all had to stop and catch their breath, and they settled into silence again.

"Terra," Ven asked, staring at the sky again, "What are you thinking about?"

"An old friend," he replied, hurriedly adding, "Not that she's old, but we haven't seen her in a while. I was wondering how she's been doing."

Aqua sat up, staring out around them. "I was wondering about her earlier, too."

Ven was confused. "Who are you talking about?"

"Someone we met on a mission a couple years ago. We helped her out, and she was very nice to us, even when we didn't deserve it. She's a dear friend to us."

"Whether we want her to be or not," Terra added with a sly smile, and Aqua punched his chest, knocking the air out of him.

Ven smiled. "I'd like to meet her someday."

"You probably can. Next time we go there, we'll show her to you," he said.

Aqua stood up. "But before that, we have Exams. Exams that we still have to prepare for, so we need all the rest we can get. Let's head inside."

"Yes!" Ven shouted, jumping excitedly to his feet. "I'm starving. Race you to the kitchen!" He took off in a run.

Terra scrambled to his feet and followed, shouting, "You got a head start!"

Rolling her eyes, Aqua muttered, "Men," and took off after them.

* * *

Destiny Islands, Three months before _Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep_

* * *

Demetra was in her kitchen, preparing dinner, when she heard the front door open noisily. She smiled, putting down her dishcloth as her son ran in. He was covered in dirt and sand, sticking to his sweaty skin, but he didn't seem to notice or care. A light was shining in his eyes; a look she understood meant he had something to tell her.

"Hi, Mom," he smiled, looking up at her, "You'll never guess what happened today! I got hit!"

She stared at him, an eyebrow raised even though she was smiling. "And you're happy about that?"

He nodded quickly. "Yeah! See?" He turned to show her his arm and she bent down to take a closer look. The skin on his arm was frayed, pale white where it bunched together to form a long scrape. Through all the dirt, she could see the little beads of blood forming on his skin.

Without a second thought, she grabbed the dishcloth off the counter and started wiping down his arm, hold his shoulder so he wouldn't move. He groaned annoyance and she gave him a sly smile, but he read the scolding in her eyes. Pouting, he held still, letting her work.

"I can't believe you got this dirty," she sighed, shifting to a cleaner section of the dishcloth. "What did you do? Play in a pigsty?"

He laughed. "I got really sweaty, that's all. But see? I'm getting stronger all the time."

"The stronger you get," she mused, "the dirtier you are when you come home. There," she smiled, satisfied with how she had cleaned his arms, even though it was the only clean spot on him, "how does that feel?"

"It stings," he frowned, staring indignantly at the floor.

She took his face in her hands and stared into his eyes. "But it means you can go play tomorrow. You won't get sick this way. And tell Sora to be more careful."

The boy scowled. "But that means he's getting better! He actually landed a hit!"

"He's only getting better if learns not to hit so hard," she pointed out, returning to her work. "Now, go clean up. I'm making your favorite."

He face lit up. "Yes!" He ran off, his noisy footfalls on the stairs echoing throughout the rest of the house.

"And Riku, don't forget to use soap!" she yelled after him.

"Alright Mom!"


End file.
